The Feminine Fatality: Stray
by Huntress Dream
Summary: She thought with her death it would mean the end. A chance to be at peace. But another has some thing else in mind, given a gift. It's brought new life and a chance at freedom, but at what cost...?
1. Chapter 1

_**This is a story that I was inspired to write by Baran3 and her The Cat And The Spider; let it said that neither I nor the Baran own The Forgotten Realms or any characters from it. Enjoy! **_

_**The Feminine Fatality:**_

_**Stray**_

_Chapter: Feline Mystique _

_She raised her mace to smash his skull; from his position on the floor, he spun off his knees and leaned back. The mace flew over his face "whooshing" as it passed. Her world moved into a crawl, her weapon fell from limp fingers, she gasped in surprise. Looking down she saw the blade, his blade plunged into her breast, into her heart. Looking from the blade to the purple eyes of him, she saw surprise and something else that she couldn't think of a word for. Her legs gave out from under her. He rose swiftly to catch her._

"_Vierna." She smiled at him. Raising her hand she touched his face. "I'm free, Drizzt…." Vierna whispered, eyes glazed, her hand dropped. Drizzt held her tightly with one as he closed her eyes. "Be at peace sister. Come Guen, let us find our friends and be gone from this place." The great panther watched as he left the room before her gaze fall to the drowess just slain. In that moment before her death, she had seen it. She had passed the test, although Guenhwyvar herself didn't issue it directly._

_She had watched this drow female more than once and each time she showed that sensitive soul of the ever changing woman. Something that some if not all of the other drow females banish from the heart and souls for their Goddess. This one simply went along with the dark Goddess out of survival. Tilting her massive head in thought as she looked at Vierna her master called her; yes. She would give her the chance few were given. Moving until she stood over the lifeless body of Vierna she opened her month and yowled sharp and low._

_A thick white mist swirled about her muzzle before leaving her month and entering hers, it wouldn't be long now. Guenhwyvar moved from her, but still looked at her prone form. 'Welcome sister to life.' She thought before racing down the dark halls to help her master and friend. _


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you Nerdy Rahn for your review and to beta 657 who has me on alert, I do hope this is up to your exceptions. I do not own the forgotten realms characters or setting, enjoy._

_**Chapter 2: Rebirth**_

_The waxing moon gave the bluish-black sky a settle smirk to the coming rays of light as if teasing the new day soon to begin. Slowly the sun's light rose higher and higher touching the buildings of black, tan, cream, and green granite. Each color representing the station of the women who call this place home. Black for soldiers, tan for civilians, cream for the merchants, and green for the priestesses. This is the city of Bubastis; home to the worshipers of Bast. _

_And at the heart of it all a an island; save for the entrance was separated by channels that approach it from the Nile. They run round it on opposite sides; each of them is an hundred feet wide, and overshadowed by trees. The temple in the midst of the city made of red granite and gold shimmered under the sun's touch. The whole circuit commanded all to view its beauty; for the temple's level had been raised, so that it can be seen into from the city._

_A stone wall, carven with figures, of various women runs round it. Within is a grove of very tall trees growing round a great shrine, wherein is the image of the goddess; the temple is a square, each side measuring a furlong (1/8 th of a mile, 220 yards or 660 feet). A road, paved with stone, of about three furlongs length leads to the entrance, running eastward through the market place, towards the temple of Hermes; this road is about four hundred wide, and bordered by trees reaching to heaven._

_Within it's walls a verdant and luxurious grove so spacious that the cats in it's walls roamed free and wild, yet each and everyone bejeweled and pampered so fittingly that they severed as a living embodiment of the Goddess. Laying upon her knees, she hummed a wordless tune as she stroked the snow white hair, unbound and free in her lap. Trailing a finger over ebony skin covered by a simple jade green silk dress. _

_Vierna came back to herself slowly, her head splitting, her mind befuddled. Beneath her head ache, memories flooded her thoughts. Ah, she changed he brother to help kill the other, only to instead die by his hands. It was strange to not find dying upsetting, but liberating; a sound pushed pass her foggy thoughts and feeling returned to her numbed body. Was she in the demon web pit? She jerked up—and fell back down. "Shh. Give yourself a few moments more. _

_The pain is soon to fade." A female, her voice unlike the cold and harsh ones of her race, but husky and warm, welcoming. Her hands moved back to Vierna's temples and eased away her pain. "Who…." Vierna started, but choked on her spit. Swallowing she took a breath. "Who are you? "she asked as she took in the black feline mask she wore over her head. A mischievous aura surrounded her form, "I go by many names: Ubastet, Pasht, Bastet, Bast….but you may call me Sharess." _

"_I do not understand; you are a servant of the Spider Queen? I failed to bring justice to House Do'urden will I not be punished?" Vierna removed herself slowly from the masked woman's lap and turned to face her. A mask of black jade covered her face, skin of golden honey brown, a dress of white transparent linen, and gold bracelets adored her arms. "Hmm...Lolth you need not concern yourself with. You strayed from her ways and in turn fell into my own._

_You are the first in many of years to gain the favor of my messengers." Vierna frowned. "I don't understand." Sharess smiled, "No, from a world where you only learn treachery and deceit I would not expect you to understand that the world is not only black and white, good and evil. There is much of both in every world, but just as there are black and white, good and evil there are those that walk both. Those who learn to peer into clouds of gray and distinguished both light and dark. _

_Teaching, showing that even the purest of hearts contain malicious thoughts, yet from the darkness hope and faith give way to the rays of light. There is redemption for those who have fallen into hard time and strayed from their path. To give them strength to endure and serve as a guide to others as they have been show. My child there is new life in you; so long have you been contained by the rules of society. What will you do now that you are free to your own desires…._

_A blessing that many never allow themselves to taste and yet a curse for many will hate what is different. In so you will suffer alone and misunderstood. Be fierce, independent; accept it. By denying who you are, you cage yourself. They have caged you; molding you into their image. Look into yourself and accept who you are, all of who you are….you can be free. For freedom is power." Sharess caressed her face. "Go and experience life as you never have before…." Vierna jerked back as if pushed, she fell fast an uncontrolled._

_And it brought a wild exhilaration through her soul, shooting up from the cold stone floor she gasped for air breaking the silence of Bregan D'aerthe headquarters. Looking around dead drow lay around her where her brother killed them. She didn't care, the call of Lolth no longer seized her every thought, jumping to her feet she ran. Racing through the halls as if none where there, soon she emerged at the deep chasm that housed the safe house of the rogue males, but she did not stop. No she fled past the busy sector of The Bazaar, beyond the Isle Of Rothe, and into The Dark Dominion, the wilds of the underdark. _


End file.
